6S NEW YORK STATE MUSEUM 



Aquatic insects. The earlier investigations of this group have 

 been continued. Dr James G. Needham has an extensive mono- 

 graph on the stone flies (Plecoptera) nearly completed and this 

 work will prove a valuable addition to our knowledge of a 

 hitherto much neglected group. Dr Cornelius Betten, who has 

 been giving special attention to the Caddis flies (Trichoptera) 

 for the past five years, continued his studies last summ'^r at Buffalo 

 and Ogdensburg. These insects are an important element of fish 

 food and, in addition, are of considerable local significance in the 

 city of Buffalo. They breed in such large numbers in the rapids 

 of the Niagara river that each summer the adults belonging to 

 this group and the not distantly related May flies (Ephemeridae) 

 swarm by millions in portions of the city near the river front. The 

 insects are so abundant as to prohibit outdoor painting during 

 certain portions of the season. These flies were one of the factors 

 Vvhich led to the locating of the Pan-American Exposition some 

 distance from their breeding places. Dr Betten has given particular 

 attention to this local phase of the problem and he is now engaged 

 in preparing an exhaustive account of this very interesting and in 

 some respects important group. 



Gall midges. These minute, inconspicuous insects, belonging 

 to a family comprising a large number of species, have been sub- 

 jects of careful and extensive investigations by the Entomologist 

 and his assistants. Certain forms, like the Hessian fly and wheat 

 midge, are of prime economic importance. The former is well 

 known as an exceedingly destructive enemy of certain varieties of 

 wheat, and in 1901 caused an estimated loss in New York State 

 alone of $3,000,000. The wheat midge in earlier years was also 

 \ery destructive to this important grain crop. During the last 

 decade another member of this family, the violet gall midge, has 

 become a dangerous enemy of the extensive violet-growing industry, 

 which has its most important center at Rhinebeck, N. Y. The 

 members of this group are better known because of the many re- 

 markable vegetable deformities they produce, and the adult insects 

 present some interesting morphological variations. The continued 

 and thorough collecting during the summer has resulted in the 

 accumulation of a large amount of material. A recent catalogue 

 lists less than 150 species as being native to North America, whereas 

 our recent work has resulted in finding in New York State alone 

 probably over 400 species, including therein representatives of 

 genera hitherto unrecognized in this country, and presumably of 

 others unknown. 



